Billing code 19282: Breast localizationMedicare rate & RVUs in Illinois
Reports percutaneous placement of a localization device for each additional breast lesion, using imaging guidance, when a separate lesion requires localization.
Medicare pays $154.93–$170.45 for 19282 in the office in Illinois, from Rest Of Illinois to Suburban Chicago. Which amount applies depends on the service address.
Medicare allowed amount for participating (non-QP) physicians, before deductible, coinsurance and claim adjustments. Not a patient’s bill or a hospital charge.
On this page 9 sections
What 19282 covers
A breast imaging physician typically uses image guidance to place a localization device at an additional breast lesion before surgical excision. This service is for targeting a separate lesion beyond the first lesion addressed by the corresponding primary localization service; it describes device placement, not diagnostic imaging of the lesion itself. It is commonly performed in an outpatient breast imaging center or hospital before breast-conserving surgery or another planned excision.
Report 19282 for each additional lesion when the applicable primary service is 19281. The record should identify the separate target lesion and document image-guided percutaneous device placement. If the guidance is stereotactic, ultrasound, or MRI, select the matching modality-specific additional-lesion code instead. CMS classifies 19282 as an add-on code: bill it only with its primary procedure, and payment falls within that procedure’s global period.
This summary was written with AI assistance from CMS physician fee schedule data and checked against the CMS billing rules shown here. Rates on this page come directly from CMS files.
Where 19282 pays more and less in Illinois
The same RVUs, adjusted for each area’s costs. Open a locality for its calculation, history and nearby areas.
4 payment localities
$154.93 to $170.45
| Payment locality | Office | Facility |
|---|---|---|
| Chicago | $169.00 | $45.14 |
| East St. Louis | $157.03 | $43.65 |
| Rest Of Illinois | $154.93 | $42.40 |
| Suburban Chicago | $170.45 | $43.87 |
How the 19282 rate is calculated
Each of 19282’s three RVUs is multiplied by a geographic index (GPCI) for the payment locality, added up, and multiplied by the conversion factor. Drag the indexes or enter a ZIP to see what moves the rate.
How the rate is built · 19282
RVUs × geographic indexes × conversion factor
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
Work 0.98Practice expense 3.87Malpractice 0.08
All indexes start at 1.000 (the national rate). Enter a ZIP or drag a slider.
Payment rules and modifiers for 19282
The CMS indicators that decide how 19282 is paid alongside other services.
CMS payment indicators · 19282
Breast localization
| Rule | CMS value | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Global period | ZZZ | Add-on code: falls within the primary procedure’s global period. |
| Multiple procedures | 0 | No multiple-procedure reduction. |
| Bilateral (modifier 50) | 0 | The 150% bilateral adjustment doesn’t apply. |
| Assistant at surgery (80/81/82/AS) | 0 | Not paid without supporting documentation. |
| Co-surgeons (62) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Team surgery (66) | 0 | Not permitted. |
| Professional/technical | 0 | Physician service: no professional/technical split. |
19282 compared with similar codes
Compare codes
19282 vs 19281 vs 19284 vs 19286 vs 19288: national Medicare rates
Swap in your local Medicare rate.
How to choose
- 19281Breast localization
- 19281 covers the first lesion in the applicable localization service; 19282 covers each additional lesion and is billed with 19281.
- 19284Breast localization
- Both address an additional lesion, but 19284 is for stereotactic-guided placement; 19282 is used with the 19281 primary service.
- 19286Breast localization
- 19286 is the additional-lesion code when ultrasound guidance is used. Use 19282 with the 19281 primary service instead.
- 19288Breast localization
- 19288 applies to additional-lesion placement under MRI guidance; 19282 accompanies the 19281 primary service.
19282 billing questions
When is 19282 reported instead of 19281?
19281 represents the first lesion in the applicable imaging-guided localization service. Report 19282 for each additional lesion localized in that service.
Can 19282 be billed by itself?
No. It is an add-on code and must be billed with its primary procedure, 19281.
Which code applies when guidance is stereotactic, ultrasound, or MRI?
Use the modality-specific additional-lesion code: 19284 for stereotactic guidance, 19286 for ultrasound guidance, or 19288 for MRI guidance.
What documentation supports reporting an additional lesion?
Document the distinct additional breast target and the image-guided percutaneous placement of a localization device at that target.
How does CMS treat payment for this add-on code?
CMS requires 19282 to be billed with its primary procedure, and payment is within that procedure’s global period.
Where these rates come from
FeeBase calculates base physician payments from CMS work, practice-expense and malpractice RVUs, adjusted by each locality’s geographic indexes and the conversion factor. Services without a published rate are labeled, never given a made-up amount. Amounts are Medicare allowed amounts before claim adjustments: not a patient’s bill or a commercial rate.
CMS RVU26D · effective Oct 1, 2026 through the day before Jan 1, 2027
Show the CMS file lines behind this rate
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